Reflections
by Disastergirl
Summary: A series of drabbles stealing the idea of daemons and putting them in the FMA world. Mostly Mustang-centric and done in collaboration with mebh.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: So, this is a fun sort of project being done between mebh and I, where we decided it would be cool to take the concept of daemons from His Dark Materials and put it in the FMA world. We're exploring this idea with a series of drabbles, I'm posting mine here and mebh's can be found on her page ( s/8188145/1/Souls ). Please check hers out if you haven't already, she is an exceptionally talented writer. Also, see her explanation for why this isn't in the crossover section if you're interested. As she says, we might be taking requests if anyone has an idea they really want to see and while, left to our own devices most of our ideas will be inevitably Roy-centric, we're happy to do chapters with other characters too. _

_Also, I don't own FMA_

_Enjoy! _

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"What are you doing?" Roy hissed, glancing round to check that neither Hughes nor Cassie, his annoyingly sharp-eared pine marten, could hear their conversation. Ariadne shrugged, her muscles shifting under her pale fur. She was in her element here in the wilderness, languid, regal and completely unconcerned for the worries of her master.

"I like her. What's wrong with that? We're just having fun. Something you seem to have forgotten how to do lately." Roy bit back a childish retort, reminding himself that he was _not_ about to have this conversation with his daemon again. Why couldn't she just agree with him for once?

"She's Maes Hughes' daemon, that's what's wrong!"

Ariadne gave him a look that convinced him that yes, that remark had sounded every bit as petulant to her as it had to his own ears. "It's just..." Roy sighed, leaning down to scratch behind Ariadne's ears. His daemon purred and rubbed her head against his leg, still affectionate despite their quarrelling. "I just don't understand *why* you like her so much, Ari. I mean, daemons are meant to feel the same as their humans and, well... I can't stand Hughes."

"If daemons are meant to feel the same as humans," Ariadne replied, amusement clear in her voice, "then perhaps you don't hate him quite as much as you think you do."

"Don't be ridiculous." Roy huffed, turning to walk back to where he and Hughes had made camp, his feet sinking into the snow as he walked. Ariadne followed close by, navigating the terrain with enviable ease. "Hughes is the most annoying guy I know. Always acting like he's better than everyone else because he's friends with guys in the older years. He doesn't even like them that much, I can tell. He's just acting friendly with them for his own advantage."

Ariadne nodded. "That's probably true. Cassie never gets too close to any of their daemons, I know that. I don't think I've ever seen them touch, not even once." She leapt up onto a ledge of rock, her balance perfect despite the frost that clung to everything not already buried under snow. Far more slowly, Roy clambered up behind her. His fingers ached in their fur-lined gloves and kept slipping from their handholds in the rock. He thought wistfully of last term's survival training in the forests outside Central. Although it had seemed tough at the time, that experience was positively idyllic compared to the mountains of Briggs.

"Not like you two, then?" Roy knew he was being too harsh but he couldn't help it. The words were out of his mouth before he could even contemplate the wisdom of saying them. Jealousy had soured his thoughts for days now and he needed to release it into the open. "I swear, I haven't seen you be this friendly with anyone since Theo." A low rumbling came from Ariadne's throat; a warning or perhaps a quiet sound of pain. She bared her teeth, her tail flicking round to hit Roy against his thigh, hard. "We should never have left. They needed us." Roy opened his mouth but a quiet growl stopped him before he could even speak. "Riza needed you there, Roy. We shouldn't have left."

Without waiting for his reply, Ariadne reached the top of the rocky outcrop and began to descend towards flat ground, her footsteps more careful as the rocks grew steeper and sharper. Feeling the familiar tug of the bond between them, Roy hurried to follow. The campsite was clearly visible at this distance, a small dark shape against the expense of white. Roy thought he could even make out Hughes' lanky form crouched down a short distance from their tent, possibly rebuilding the fire after the blizzard the night before. Not that it would do them much good, the uncharitable part of Roy's mind thought. It was not a skill that Hughes particularly excelled at.

Suddenly Ariadne froze, her fur standing on end. Trusting her intuition, Roy stopped walking too, watching and listening for any sign of threat. In the absence of the loud crunch of his footsteps, the danger was clear; a near-silent creaking and slow splintering radiating out from beneath their feet. Distracted by their argument, neither he nor Ariadne had noticed that they had walked onto ice. Slowly, as slowly as he could, Roy edged towards Ariadne, wincing as a few sharp cracks rang out as a result of his movement. He rested his hand on her head, whether to comfort or be comforted, he didn't know. Ariadne was shaking beneath his palm; she knew as well as he did that if the ice broke it could be a death sentence for them both. Roy wanted to call out to Hughes but he was terrified that even the echo of his voice could shatter the fragile balance of the surface beneath them. It seemed, however, that it was too late for such worries. Moving closer to Ariadne had been a primal, instinctive action but their combined weight was more than the ice could stand. Roy clutched Ariadne to him, the pair sharing a last, terrified look before the ground gave way beneath them.

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A scream broke through the still air, a single human voice, startling Maes from his thoughts. Cassie's ears stood up, her sharp hearing easily picking out the direction of the cry. The pine marten started running across the snow, Maes stumbling behind, his pack forgotten on the ground by the fire. The voice had grown silent, the harsh, panicked shrieks of a leopard taking its place. _Mustang and Ariadne... _he began to run faster, his imagination spurred on by the thought of his fellow cadet and his daemon lying frozen and lifeless in the snow, a death he had been too slow to prevent. His eyes scoured the landscape around him. He could see nothing at first but soon picked out a single pale shape, struggling to claw its way out of a jagged circle of dark water onto the ice above. _Oh god, no..._ He edged his way towards the bank of the frozen lake, careful to avoid stepping on the ice. He was now only a few yards away from where his teammate had fallen in and he could make out the scene a lot more clearly. Ariadne's front paws were out of the water but her paws could find no purchase on the ice, her efforts only serving to widen the cracks around her. There was no sign of Mustang.

Maes got down onto his stomach, sliding across the lake towards the terrified daemon. He considered running back to fetch a rope but knew it would be useless. Ariadne was too panicked to think clearly and Mustang was either already unconscious or blocked from reaching the surface by the body of his struggling daemon. Quick and light, Cassie bounded ahead of him, nervous, distressed chatter escaping her as she realised she had no way of helping her friend. Cassie was far too small to lift Ariadne out of the water, Maes realised with growing horror. If he wanted to save the pair, he would have to do it himself. The thought of touching another person's daemon sent sickness rolling through Maes' stomach but he knew he had no other choice. Reaching the edge of the water he leant down and grasped Ariadne's body just below her front legs, pulling her up and out of the water. A jolt of energy ran up his arms at the contact, every instinct within him screaming to let go, to get as far away as he could, but he fought against it. Ariadne screamed at the touch, writhing and clawing at him and Maes pulled his head back just in time to avoid a swipe that would have taken out both his eyes. Cursing, he dragged her up onto the ice, pushing her soaking, shivering body towards solid ground. He was shaking with adrenaline and terror but he couldn't spare even a moment to collect himself. Peering into the blackness he could see Mustang just below the surface, his movements slow and confused as he struggled to escape the water, weighed down by his pack and soaked clothing. A single, gloveless hand shot out and grasped the edge of the ice, its fingers blue-tinged and shaking horribly. Maes grabbed it and reached down into the freezing water for Mustang's other hand, pulling the young man's near-motionless body towards him.

Once he had hauled Mustang onto the ice, Maes rolled him back onto the land. Ariadne was upon Mustang in an instant, draping herself over his body, keening and mewling as she pawed at his ice-white face. Mustang's eyes were closed and he wasn't breathing. Maes moved towards the pair, kneeling down to flip his teammate onto his side, knowing he needed to get him breathing again as soon as possible. Ariadne roared as Maes' hands touched her master and she curled herself around him, hissing and spitting as Maes and Cassie attempted to move her away.

"Damn it, Ariadne, get off him!" Maes shouted at the daemon, terror and desperation hardening his words. But Ariadne was beyond reasoning. The leopard was shaking, visibly weakened now that her master was so close to the brink of death. Bracing himself against the horrifying sense of invasion, Maes pushed Ariadne off Mustang, pulling the motionless body of his comrade closer towards him and further away from the other half of his soul. The sound Ariadne made when she was separated from Mustang was too terrible to comprehend. It was like the scream of a child torn from its mother's arms, a primal howl that spoke of nothing but desolation. Cassie keened, pressing her face against Maes' side, trying to get as close to him as possible. This was a fear she could understand only too easily.

There was nothing Maes could do but focus on saving Mustang's life. Hours of emergency training flashed through his mind in a single, frantic blur and he let his instincts take over, his hands guided by memories of countless resuscitations performed on lifeless dummies and badly acting cadets. The movements came far less easily now that it was a real human being under his hands, flickering in between life and death, but his training did not fail him and within moments Mustang was rolling away from him, coughing up lungfuls of icy water between frantic, gasping breaths. Ariadne flew to him, licking his face and pawing at his clothes, tiny, heartbreaking sounds escaping her as Mustang held her in his shaking arms. The daemon and her master clung to each other for long moments as Mustang's gasps turned to sobs, burying his face in the leopard's soaking fur to hide his tears. Maes knew that they had to get back to the tent as soon as possible, that the pair were not yet out of danger, but he could not bring himself to interrupt that sacred moment.

Eventually, Mustang lifted his white, tear-stained face to meet Maes' eyes and Maes shuddered under the wave of shame and self-disgust as he remembered how he had laid hands on Mustang's daemon. Even though it had been unavoidable, the only way to save Mustang's life, he knew with the whole of his being that it had been _wrong. _And if Mustang chose to hate him rather than thank him for his rescue, Maes didn't think he could blame him. But the young man said nothing, just stared up at Maes with exhausted, unreadable eyes. Maes supposed it was quite possible that he was in shock, that whatever reaction he would face would have to wait until Mustang was more fully recovered. If that was true, then Maes would deal with it when it happened. Survival was still the priority. Maes struggled to his feet, reaching down a hand towards his fellow cadet. Mustang stared at him for a moment before grasping it with his near-frozen fingers, letting Maes pull him up to standing. The young man swayed slightly and Maes put a steadying arm around his shoulders.

"Come on," He said, a confidence he did not feel echoing in his voice. "Let's get back to camp." Maes had no idea what things would be like between him and Mustang from then on; whether such a strange and horrifying turn of events would conspire to build a friendship between them or to strengthen their animosity but he knew for certain that an irrevocable change had occurred. So, with his future best friend or worst enemy leaning against him, Maes turned and started to lead them both back through the snow, their daemons following close behind.

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_ Thanks for reading! Let us know what you think. :D_


	2. A Warning And A Promise

_A/N: Wow, sorry about the wait, guys! I don't write as quickly as mebh. D: Anyway, hope you enjoy it and please drop a review at the end if you can. As usual, don't own etc etc._

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"Come on Roy! We've got to be on the parade ground in fifteen minutes!" The door swung open and Maes Hughes marched into the room, looking every inch the model cadet in his dress uniform. Every button and buckle was done up correctly, his hair was combed and slicked back and the golden braid on his jacket gleamed. Cassie was perched on his shoulder and even she looked smarter than usual, her normally messy fur glossy and neatly brushed. Seeing Roy standing by the mirror, Maes gave an overly dramatic sigh, rolling his eyes as he leaned back against the doorframe.

"Still fussing over your hair? Honestly, you're worse than my last girlfriend. I mean, I know you want to look your best for the big occasion, but seriously, Mr I'm-going-to-meet-the-Fuhrer, if you spend much more time in here, it's all going to be over before you've even left the room!" Roy laughed as he knew Maes expected him to, pushing down the wave of almost nauseating anxiety that threatened to overcome him. Ever since he- an apparently 'outstanding' cadet- had been selected as one of the chosen few to meet the fuhrer on Founding Day he had been battling down a growing sense of unease. As a child he'd idolised the fuhrer and had spent many happy afternoons slaying imaginary enemies with a stick in the living room, pretending he was Bradley fighting against the Drachman horde in the famous battle of 1884. Ariadne had always transformed into a lion cub during those days, the closest she could come to imitating the fuhrer's fearsome, majestic daemon. His aunt had never seemed happy at his make-believe games but he'd always just assumed it was because he was messing up the furniture. It was only until he was older that he began to piece together the true picture.

He'd overheard his aunt talking to General Grumman when she thought he was asleep, phrases like 'political activism' and 'extremist group' floating out through the half-closed door to where he listened at the staircase, Ariadne a tiny dormouse perched on the bannister. The words hadn't made much sense then but, years later, he'd dug up all the old newspaper clippings he could find on his parents' death, the yellowed pages revealing a story his aunt had never dared to tell him. His parents' murder had not been the act of a random, opportunist gunman as he had always been led to believe, but rather a calculated act by an extremist political group- known supporters of Bradley and his regime. The papers never stated it outright, of course, but reading between the lines, Roy could tell that many people suspected Bradley may have condoned the group's actions, maybe even commanded them. He knew that was what his aunt believed.

Shaking away his unsettling thoughts, Roy combed back his hair one last time before turning to face Maes, a smile slipping easily onto his face. With an air of reluctance, Ariadne rose from her resting place at his feet, stretching out her front legs against the wooden floor before padding over to greet Cassie. The pine marten leapt onto Ariadne's back, her small body brimming with all the nervous excitement her master was struggling to contain. The fuhrer's attendance at their Founding Day ceremony was having an effect on everybody, whether they were meeting him personally or not. Privately, Roy was glad that Maes was feeling tense; it would make it easier for him to hide the true cause of his own fears. Maes had an uncanny sense for secrets and, without a distraction, would almost certainly noticed his friend's seemingly disproportionate anxiety and taken upon himself to sniff out the reason behind it.

"Alright, alright, have it your way," He grinned, his tone purposefully light. He strode towards the door with Ariadne following, the tight set of her shoulders the only indication of the struggle taking place within them both. "I was just about to leave anyway." As he reached the door, Maes ran an appraising eye over him, letting out a low whistle of mock admiration.

"Looking sharp, Mustang! No wonder you spent so long getting ready, you're trying to make the rest of us look bad, aren't you?" Maes laughed and Cassie joined in, her voice high and bright. "Well, I'd love to say your evil plan isn't going to work, but looking at you now, it probably will."

Roy's face split into a real smile, the first of that day. Maes always knew how to cheer him up, whether he meant to or not. But his good mood soon faded as they walked out of the barracks and onto the parade ground. The green and white and gold of the Amestrian flag adorned the front of all the buildings surrounding them. The white dragon, the symbol of Bradley's regime, danced in the breeze against the backdrop of vast marble pillars. A stage had been erected in front of the academy's headquarters for the Fuhrer's speech and already the state-approved news teams were flocking around it, preparing their vast arrays of equipment for the momentous event, the first to ever be captured on film. Maes and Roy lined up with the rest of their company, joining the sea of neatly assembled blue uniforms and fresh, nervous faces. But Roy barely noticed the presence of his fellow cadets or the bustling activity around him. His eyes were drawn towards the stage, where the Fuhrer stood next to his daemon; Re. Roy was not alone- almost everyone was staring openly at Bradley, a mixture of awe and astonishment on their faces. Re shook his head, his mane catching the mid-morning light and Roy could hear several cadets stifle gasps. He couldn't blame them: they'd all heard the stories, seen photographs, of course, but the reality was still unsettling. It was almost unheard of for anyone to have a daemon of the same gender, especially not one as imposing as Re. Bradley was smiling as he watched the crowd, his face moulded into an expression of almost paternal benevolence but the lion at his side gave no such signs of warmth. Re's eyes surveyed the growing crowd of young men, his gaze shifting backwards and forwards before stopping and focusing directly on Roy. The force of those golden eyes, predatory and without mercy, made Roy's breath catch in his throat. Ariadne shivered, pressing herself against his leg, an almost inaudible whine of distress coming from her mouth. Roy fought the urge to run, every instinct within him screaming that he was in danger. But then Re's eyes moved on and the moment was broken. Roy took a deep breath, forcing himself to regain his calm. If he had been nervous about meeting Bradley before, he was terrified now. Everyone knew that a person's daemon was the outward expression of their innermost nature and, in that brief moment, he had stared into the eyes of the Fuhrer's soul and seen him for exactly what he was. Re was a killer, his grace and regal demeanour hiding an all-consuming rage, an unquenching thirst for destruction. Ariadne twitched at his side, her claws digging into the ground. _This_ was the man that was ruling the country?

After what felt like hours, the last of the cadets were assembled on the grounds, the officers were lined up on the stage and it was time for the Founding Day ceremony to begin. Roy stood to attention and saluted towards the flag with the rest of the cadets, his head bowed low as the twelve gun salute went off in remembrance of all who had died in past wars, every inch the model soldier. But he barely heard the speeches being given up on the stage, nor the hundreds of voices singing along to the national anthem. All he could do was count down the minutes until he would be up on the stage with the fuhrer, shaking hands with the man who had ordered his parents' death. Only too soon, it seemed, that moment was upon him. He and the nine other cadets lined up below the stage, waiting to be called, one by one, to shake hands with the fuhrer. As the youngest cadet, Roy was last in line. He watched as each of his colleagues climbed the stage in turn, their heads held high but their daemons fawning and supplicant at the feet of Bradley's lion. He watched as they each shook hands with their country's leader, the fuhrer exchanging a few uniquely tailored pleasantries with them all, congratulating them on their fine service to their country. Finally, it was his turn.

Roy heard his name ring out over the crowd, heard the dutiful applause from the sea of uniformed bodies and he knew that he had run out of time. He began to climb the stairs leading up to the stage, the thumping of his heartbeat echoing in his ears, drowning out the crowd. He could sense Ariadne beside him too; more strongly than he had for years, the rush of emotions strengthening the bond between them. He could feel every silent press of her paws against the wooden planks, every whisper of the wind against her fur. She was unbearably on edge, her fur standing on end, her claws ready at any moment to be unsheathed. Roy took a deep breath, hoping to calm them both, but he knew it was no use.

A few short steps and he was standing in front of the fuhrer, gazing up into the man's single eye. The fuhrer was smiling but his eye was cold. It seemed to reach into the depths of Roy's mind, reading his every thought. He could sense Ariadne biting back a whimper and, as if to compensate for her nearly betrayed weakness, the leopard stood up even straighter, refusing to back down even as Re loomed over her.

Roy forced a smile as the fuhrer shook his hand, hoping that his anxiety would be passed off as mere nervousness and modesty as the fuhrer addressed him. "Congratulations, Cadet Mustang, your dedication to your duties and training is an inspiration to us all. Amestris is proud of your service." Suddenly Bradley's eye narrowed and his voice grew quieter, slipping out of the easy, rolling tone of rehearsed phrases.

"Mustang? Where have I heard that name before..." He paused, seeming to think it over. "Ah yes, of course. I remember hearing about your mother and father... Such a shame. They were brave people."

There was something about the way the fuhrer said the words... A thread of insincerity, of amusement even. Roy bit the inside of his lip, reminding himself to say nothing. Even if Bradley was intentionally taunting him, the man was still the fuhrer of the whole nation and he, a mere cadet, had no choice but to keep his tongue. But it was no use. At his side, Ariadne began to growl. The sound started off quiet but soon rose in volume until it could be heard by all standing nearby. Her lips were pulled back in a snarl, her fur was standing on end and she was growling, low and menacing. His daemon was _growling_ at the fuhrer. The murmurs spread outward from the stage, the voices nervous and disbelieving. Roy didn't think he'd ever been more afraid.

Re was standing at his full height now, his claws unsheathed and his teeth showing. It was a silent display of deadly power against which Ariadne appeared tiny in comparison. But Bradley showed no reaction, his face remaining impassive, his eye showing only dark amusement. Roy found himself unable to look away from the fuhrer's face, some near hysterical part of his mind remarking that it might well be the last thing he'd ever see. The fuhrer leaned in close, his mouth almost touching Roy's ear. When he spoke his voice was low, inaudible to anyone else.

"I see you're just like your father... He never knew when to keep his mouth shut either."

Ariadne roared, throwing herself at Re in a flash of bared teeth and claws. She landed awkwardly, swiping at Re's eyes, but not succeeding in even scratching him. Ariadne roared again, her voice sounding weak and hopelessly child-like compared to Re's deep, warning growl as her teeth struggled to reach the lion's neck. With seemingly effortless ease, the fuhrer's daemon threw Ariadne off, overpowering her and pinning her to the floor. His teeth encircled her throat, barely scraping against the skin. Roy couldn't move. His breaths were coming in shallow, panicked gasps, adrenaline running through him like poison, screaming at him to _run, now_. But it was impossible. He could feel the weight of Re's body trapping Ariadne to the ground as if it were upon his own chest, could see the light reflecting off the lion's yellow eyes as they stared into his soul. They were both trembling. Roy could hear the clamouring voices of the crowd, the outraged cries of the generals on the stage and the shocked murmurs of his fellow cadets, but they faded into nothing compared to his own terror. Re's slow breathing filled Ariadne's ears and it was all he could focus on.

"Re," the fuhrer called, laying a hand across Roy's shoulders, his thumb and index finger curling around his neck. "Leave her."

Re growled and Roy shivered as the vibrations coursed across the skin of Ariadne's throat. Slowly, deliberately, the lion closed his jaw the tiniest fraction of an inch. Roy gasped, his knees buckling, as Re's teeth broke Ariadne's skin. Tiny drops of blood welled up and streamed down her pale fur. Bradley caught him before he could fall, steadying him upon his feet. Re released Ariadne, her blood still glistening on the tips of his teeth, and prowled back over to stand by his master. Roy's daemon ran back to him, mewling and shaking like a newborn kitten. Roy couldn't blame her, part of him wanted to cry too.

Bradley leaned in again, murmuring into Roy's ear. Roy didn't want to listen, but he was still unable to move and he knew he could not afford to insult the fuhrer any more than he already had. "Very impressive, Mustang." The fuhrer said, still gripping Roy's neck. "I must admit, even I didn't expect that. No-" Bradley held up a hand, cutting Roy off before he could even begin to speak. "You don't need to apologise, I was thoroughly amused by the whole thing. I'll see that this little incident doesn't cause you any trouble." The fuhrer patted Roy on the shoulder, turning to look him full in the eyes. "I shall be expecting great things of you, Mustang. You have a lot of strength, and incredible force of will for one so young. But it is your _anger_, Mustang," The fuhrer smiled, a strange light seeming to gleam in his eye. "Your anger that drives you, that makes you so interesting. Perhaps you and I are more alike than you would like to think."

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_A/N: I can't help it... I just love Bradley. I think he might be my favourite villain evar. Definitely up there. Anywayyy... let me know what you think? :D_


	3. Temper Temper

_A/N: Just a short, kinda silly thing done cos mebh asked me to and cos I haven't done a daemon fic in ages. I don't think this is as funny as what mebh had in mind but oh well, I hope everyone enjoys it anyway. As usual, I do not own fma etc etc. _

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Havoc glanced up to find the source of the noise staring him in the face with cold blue eyes. Ariadne continued to growl at him, her teeth bared and her fur standing on end. He sighed.

"Ariadne, please get your front paws off my desk." Havoc glanced over to the back of the room where Mustang sat, his head bent over a stack of reports, seemingly unaware of his daemon's activities. Sunlight streamed in from the window behind him but Mustang seemed to be operating under his own, highly localised, storm cloud. Havoc supposed he couldn't be blamed- the day had not been going well for the colonel.

The morning had began badly enough when a cracked coffee pot had spilled all over the colonel's hand, scalding him and- Havoc suspected Mustang considered this the more serious offence- depriving him of his morning dose of caffeine. The larger than usual stack of reports awaiting the colonel had been a second setback, an administrative error leading to over half of them needing to be completed by the next morning. Then had come Ed's monthly report. The boy had swept in like a tiny blonde storm front, his little golden monkey daemon knocking papers off desks and even going so far as to pinch Ariande when discussions with the colonel became heated. Ed's latest excursion into righting the wrongs of far-flung rural Amestris had ended up costing the military several hundred thousand cens in reparations and, as usual, the blame would be placed firmly on Mustang's head. Ed had been surly and unapologetic throughout; a standard of such conversations. Havoc was frankly amazed that Mustang hadn't slapped the boy.

If only Hawkeye were here... he thought, watching as Ariadne turned her attention to Maya, his daemon. The red setter looked up at the leopard with sleepy eyes, refusing to rise to the bait, but Havoc could feel her annoyance. He glanced up at Mustang just as the colonel raised his head. Mustang met his gaze with unrepentant eyes, clearly aware of his daemon's behaviour but doing nothing to stop it. Havoc counted down the hours in his head until Hawkeye returned from her errands. She would soon be able to sort this nonsense out.

Ariadne snapped at Maya's tail and his daemon finally lifted her head, growling a low warning. Havoc shushed her, stroking Maya's fur to calm her down. Interactions between daemons were typically relaxed among the team but Mustang was still his boss and on a day like this he didn't think the man was in the mood to let anyone forget it. Maya snuggled closer, gazing up at him with baleful eyes. Ariadne slunk off, her long tail knocking a stack of papers off Havoc's desk as she turned. She gazed back at him and Havoc could swear he saw a hint of a smirk on her feline face.

"Ari." Mustang's voice rang out in the quite room. Irritation still simmered low in his voice but, more than that, he sounded tired. "Leave Havoc alone." The brass had been putting Mustang under more and more pressure recently and the antics of the team's youngest recruit were not making things any easier, Havoc understood. He just wished Mustang's daemon wouldn't take it out on the rest of them.

Ariadne hissed as she walked back to Mustang's side, settling under his desk with a decidedly petulant air.

There was a knock on the door. Without waiting for acknowledgement, it was flung open and General Gran walked in, flanked by soldiers on either side. Their daemons hid behind them as was customary when in the company of a superior officer but Gran's boar stood proudly in front, staring at Ariadne with her small, dark eyes.

"General Gran," Mustang rose from his seat and saluted, walking over to stand before the general. "I didn't know you were in East City, Sir."

Gran snorted, acknowledging Mustang's salute after slightly longer than was considered polite. "Just a routine inspection, Colonel, nothing for you to get worried about..." he paused, running an appraising eye over the office. Havoc kept his head bent over his pile of papers, not wanting to meet his eyes. "I should hope."

Mustang swallowed. Ariande had come out from under the desk now and she stood by her master's side. Havoc could practically see Mustang's hand shake with the need to reach out and comfort her but to do so would be an unmistakeable sign of weakness.

"If there is anything I or my team can do to assist you during your stay in East City, Sir, we..."

Gran held up a hand, cutting Mustang off. "As a matter of fact, there is, Colonel. It seems your State Alchemist reassessment is coming up very shortly and the Fuhrer has asked me to oversee your exam personally."

Ari whined, an almost imperceptible sound but one that Havoc was sure every person in the room heard. "Sir," Mustang began. "I was under the impression that General Grumman-"

"Normally, Colonel," Gran interrupted Mustang once more. "The reassessment would be supervised by your direct commanding officer; that is correct. However, as this is only your second assessment since your assignment here..." Havoc heard what he wasn't saying. Your first assessment since the end of Ishval... "And given your... less than optimum performance last year, the Fuhrer decided that it would be best if another State Alchemist were to be present, in order to give a more thorough evaluation of your abilities."

Every muscle on Ari's body was shaking now. She pressed up against Mustang's leg, her teeth bared and her fur on edge. Havoc could feel Maya longing to go up to the leopard and offer comfort and a quick glance around the room showed that his teammates' daemon's felt the same. But they could do nothing.

"I had hoped, Sir," Mustang's voice was quiet but filled with steel. "That I had already proven my _abilities_ to the military's satisfaction." Across the room, Havoc heard Fuery stifle a gasp. Even after two years, this was the closest Mustang had ever come to mentioning the war.

Gran narrowed his eyes. He laughed, a sound devoid of all humour. "Be that as it may, Mustang, those are the Fuhrer's orders. I shall expect to see you on the parade ground tomorrow at ten hundred hours, without fail." He motioned for the soldiers to leave and started to head towards the exit. At the door he turned back to the colonel.

"I happened to run into your young protégé on my way here, Colonel... it seems the boy has once more managed to disgrace the military's reputation and waste State Alchemist funds. I have told him I expect to see him tomorrow afternoon for a full report and whatever disciplinary action I decide is necessary."

Ariadne spat, her claws scraping the wooden floor and Mustang closed his eyes for a second, taking a deep breath before responding. "With all due respect, Sir, I would have preferred it if you had come to me before talking to my officers directly... as his commanding officer it is my responsibility to discipline him and, with someone as young as Fullmetal, a consistent show of authority..."

"Ha!" At his side, Gran's daemon whinnied with amusement. "If you can't keep him in line yourself, you should never have recruited the boy, Colonel! You're too soft with him, is your problem. If you deem it necessary, you may be present tomorrow, but I _will_ be speaking to Fullmetal myself. Good day, Colonel." The door swung shut behind the general. The room was silent as the echoes of footsteps grew steadily fainter.

Mustang collapsed into his chair, his motionless figure a stark contrast to his growling, spitting daemon. Ariadne launched herself at the door, butting her head against it and scratching at the wood. She paced back and forth across the room, clawing at the sofa and snapping whenever any of the other daemons came too near. The snow leopard continued to pace and growl under her breath for several minutes as the rest of the room sat in awkward, embarrassed silence, no one daring to meet Mustang's eyes. It was a common and often amusing occurrence for a daemon to reveal its master's true feelings despite their best attempts at concealment and Ariadne was notorious for it. Hawkeye had assured Havoc that the colonel had greatly improved his ability to control Ari over the last few years but it seemed that he still hadn't fully mastered the skill.

Finally, Ariadne settled down under Mustang's desk once more, only the periodic growl and scratching at the colonel's desk letting the team know that their leader had not yet managed to let go of his anger. Of course, it was foolish to hope that he would have done so; Havoc had known Mustang to sulk for days over even minor slights so an insult against his capabilities such as this would surely not be so easily forgiven.

Minutes ticked by in silence, only the sound of Mustang's angry scribbling filling the room. Havoc tried to concentrate on the form he was reading but his eyes kept drifting back to the clock. _Four in the afternoon... Hawkeye said she would be back by half past four... _

Finally, the clock's hands eventually arrived at the awaited destination. A few minutes past four thirty there was another knock on the door, much softer than the one only an hour earlier. Hawkeye walked in with Theo at her side, a stack of papers under her arm. She paused in the centre of the room, sensing the tense atmosphere.

"What's going on here then?" She asked. Hawkeye glanced over at Havoc who shook his head slightly. _You don't want to know..._ he mouthed. She walked up to the colonel's desk, giving a salute that Mustang acknowledged with a quick wave of his hand, his eyes never leaving his papers. Hawkeye's mouth narrowed into a thin line but she said nothing. Theo padded over to where Ariadne lay, still twitching and on edge, underneath the desk. Ariadne came forward to meet him, her teeth bared slightly although her shoulders were hunched. The leopard and the Alsatian came nose to nose, staring at each other while their masters watched on. Hawkeye wore a calm expression on her face while Mustang looked increasingly apprehensive.

Ariadne hissed, snapping at Theo. He barked back, looming over the smaller daemon. Theo gave a low growl before falling quiet, staring down at Ari. She whined, all her bravado and irritation suddenly gone. She crept closer to Theo, rubbing the side of her head against his neck. He gave her an affectionate lick in return.

Havoc glanced over at Breda and the two of them exchanged looks of amazement and half-hidden smiles. At his desk, Mustang had gone red and was looking up at his lieutenant with a distinctly apologetic air. The tense atmosphere had evaporated completely, with only a few scratch-marks on the furniture to show for it ever having been there. There was still the question of Mustang's assessment and Ed's talk with General Gran to worry about, but at least now Mustang would be able to deal with those things with a clearer head.

_At least Ariadne won't be throwing a temper tantrum like that again_... Havoc thought, stroking Maya's head. _Not with Hawkeye and Theo around to remind Mustang who's _really_ in charge here..._

* * *

_Thanks for reading guys. :) _


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